If you work in a warehouse or in the transportation business and are injured while working, you may qualify for Workers’ Compensation benefits. But there are unique situations all warehouse and transportation workers should be aware of when seeking Workers’ Comp.
Both the transportation and warehousing industries are considered mid- to high-risk industries because of the number of accidents that occur.
Potential hazards in these types of industries include:
- Heavy equipment
- Dangerous tools
- Heights
- Outdoor hazards (weather, heat, climate, etc.)
- Large vehicles
No matter the nature of your industry, if you were hurt while working in a warehouse or during a transportation job, the Workers’ Comp attorneys at Schiro & Themer can help you with your Workers’ Compensation claim. Call our attorneys in Springfield-Decatur, Champaign-Urbana and Danville today for a free consultation.
Understanding Workers’ Comp for Warehouse and Transportation Workers
Sadly, warehouse workers face serious risks when they go to work every day. Getting hurt on the job or even killed while working in a warehouse is a very real possibility. If this happens to you or to a family member, the losses, injuries and medical bills can be devastating.
If you work in a warehouse, your job tasks may include loading trucks, heavy lifting, labeling, inventory management, assembling items and packaging orders. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 340,000 workers filling these positions in 2012. And, according to the 2011 statistics, there were 5.5 workplace injuries for every 100 full-time workers including:
- Forklift accidents
- Overexertion injuries
- Truck accidents
- Being hit by objects
- Injuries from falls
- Loading dock injuries
Any of these injuries can happen to you if you working in a warehouse or in transportation. Unfortunately, these injuries can be fatal or cause lasting harm that puts an end to the labor-intensive and physically demanding career of a warehouse worker.
If you’re badly hurt or a family member has been killed, it’s important you know that Workers’ Compensation laws protect you if you get hurt on the job.
A Workers’ Comp lawyer from Schiro & Themer can help you to understand your legal rights, choose the best course of action and help get you the Workers’ Comp benefits you deserve. Contact us now for a free consultation.
Your Options After a Warehouse or Transportation Injury
If you work in the warehouse or transportation injury, you have the right to a safe workplace. And you should be able to return home from work every day injury-free. Unfortunately, your job as a warehouse or transportation worker is a dangerous one, and injuries are all too common.
Workers’ Comp laws allow several options for warehouse and transportation workers who get hurt on the job to obtain benefits or compensation, including:
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
To qualify for Workers’ Comp benefits, you must make a work-injury claim against your employer through the Workers’ Compensation system. The Workers’ Comp system was put into place to say that you cannot file a lawsuit against your employer. The fact that workers’ compensation claims are strict liability claims is beneficial to you since the law also says that you have no obligation to prove your employer did anything wrong or contributed to your injury in any way. In other words, you can get Workers’ Compensation benefits for any injury you suffer on the job regardless of your employer’s actions. The job of an experienced Workers’ Compensation attorney at Schiro & Themer is to make sure you get all of the benefits that you deserve, including medical benefits, temporary or permanent disability benefits or death benefits if you have lost a family member to a warehouse or transportation accident.
Personal Injury Lawsuit
The normal Workers’ Comp rules say you can’t sue your employer, but you could potentially sue a third party if someone else was to blame for your work accident. A personal injury lawsuit allows you to seek financial compensation that isn’t available through Workers’ Compensation, such as payment of damages for pain and suffering or for loss of companionship if your loved one was killed.
If you wish to make a personal injury claim, you’ll need to prove that there is a negligent party who was careless or wrongful in a way that led to your injury. For example, if a tool company released a dangerous or defective tool on the market, that company could be held accountable.
The Attorneys at Schiro & Themer Help Injured Warehouse and Transportation Employees
At Schiro & Themer, our Workers’ Comp and Personal Injury lawyers know just how terrible it is to get hurt on the job and to worry about your medical bills and financial future.
We’ll use our legal knowledge and experience to do everything possible to get maximum compensation for you and your family.
Contact us today for a free evaluation of your case.